This is the hardest sport in the world, so to a very large degree you cannot blame fighters for getting out of here; but below is four (modern) fighters who when they retired IMO still had a lot to offer the sport. Michael Spinks: He retired a wealthy man, but it so sad that so many boxing fans (generally young) only remember the Tyson fight. If Spinks had sorted out his knee post Tyson, I could see him being no worse than pick-em against any other Heavyweight up until 90/91... David Tiberi: Damn unlucky to drop the Toney fight in a decision rarely brought up in the seemingly 10s of bad decision threads that pop up on these boards every month. The very least he deserved was a rematch and pay day that went with it, instead he never fought again. George Foreman: Ok he found god in a shower:blood , and did comeback 10 years later, but he could of been a legitmate name on a Holmes resume in the late 70s, and surely would of been favoured to of beaten any of the WBA champs of the era (79-83). Ray Leonard: The demons were getting to him in 82 and he used the eye injury to quit. But if he had just stayed that little bit longer Curry, Pryor and a 154lbs rematch with Hearns, would of been fun. Then if he had survived all that, the Duran rubber could of been on the table six years earlier, not to mention a three year earlier clash with the Marvelous one.
Gene Tunney is perhaps the obvious example. He could possibly have been around for a long time had he so wished. Incidentaly this would have been his schedule asuming that he beat all these oponents and did not need to re match them. 1928 Young Stribling, Johny Risko 1929 Jack Sharkey 1930 Max Schmeling 1931 Earnie Schaff 1932 Max Baer 1933 Tommy Loughran 1934 Steve Hamas 1935 Joe Louis
The answer to that is that Tunney was a very smart man and enjoyed a fulfilling life after boxing. :good
I think as well, he thought himself a bit above boxing hob nobbing with the George Bernard Shaw's of this world.
Michael Spinks should not be there, his was a perfect retirement. What more did he have to prove? No chance of ever beating Tyson and he'd already achieved the pinnacle of heavyweight honors. He can't have gone up and he had oodles of money and common sense. For all we know the Tyson loss could have heavily affected his future efforts anyway.
Wish there were more like him to be honest. Had he chosen to stay untill age retired him however he could have been a force for some time.
Tunney was 32. and in MOST cases I belive that is a good age for retirement. The rare breed of the Archie Moore's and George Foremans are other matter of couse.
I fancy that Tunney would have been good for two more years. He had less wear than most and had a style good for longevity.
Well the Greb battles were wars. Tunney may have lasted longer. But he did have ring wear on him by the time of the Dempsey fights.
I think Marciano had some more fights left in him, but quitting early leaves him with that impressive "zero".
Perhaps. But Marciano was all ready showing signs of slowing down in hand speed in the Cockell and Moore fights. Also ring injurys were getting to him. His style was not ment to last long. He was pushing 33 when he retire. I belive he got out at the right time.